Reduced Case Rate Means Outdoor Contact Sports Can Resume
Beginning tomorrow, Friday, February 26, San Bernardino County can resume high-contact and moderate-contact outdoor sports, under certain conditions. New state guidelines now permit such sports, “as long as they meet a specific rate case criteria” — namely, an infection case rate at or below 14 per 100,000 residents.
We’re pleased to report that our county has succeeded in reducing our case rate below that threshold, reporting 12.8 per 100,000 residents, which means sports may resume. This includes high-contact sports such as football, rugby and water polo, and moderate-contact sports played outdoors, including baseball, cheerleading and softball.
To learn more about the updated guidance and obtain information, such as specific requirements for weekly COVID-19 testing, review the full guidelines here.
Video coverage of the opening day of the new IEHP/County super vaccination site in Rancho Cucamonga.
Inland Empire Health Plan and County Launch New COVID-19 Vaccination Site
To support essential COVID-19 vaccination efforts, the Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) partnered with San Bernardino County to open a new super vaccination site this week.
The clinic is at IEHP’s headquarters at 10801 Sixth Street in Rancho Cucamonga, with hours of operation from Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The vaccination clinic is scheduled to run for approximately six months. Appointments are required and can be made at SBCovid19.com/vaccine.
County and IEHP nurses will administer approximately 500 vaccines per day and plan to work up to administering 1,000 vaccines per day, based on availability. The clinic will include options to support individuals with mobility issues and an observation area to monitor for any side effects.
“The county’s partnership with IEHP will result in a very visible increase in the number of vaccinations we carry out in San Bernardino County and make vaccinations much more accessible to important segments of our population,” said Curt Hagman, who serves as both Chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors and Vice-Chair of the IEHP Governing Board.
“IEHP is a well-known and respected name in healthcare in our region,” Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford said. “I’m confident they will be a great partner in our efforts to get more people vaccinated in a very efficient manner.”
The opening of the vaccination site was covered by local media, including this segment by KTLA-TV News, which noted the expansiveness of the space and ability to ensure social distancing. IEHP CEO Jarrod McNaughton shared that the hope is to increase vaccinations to 1,000 per day over the next weeks and months, and that the facility will “be up and running as long as it is needed.”
To ensure members and residents have the latest information on vaccine distribution efforts, the health plan will continue to work with Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and provide the latest information on their website, iehp.org.
“We’re a community-based health plan and serving our neighbors in this way is who we are,” said Jarrod McNaughton, IEHP chief executive officer. “We’re grateful to be able to support the effort by providing space and staff and hope that it can serve as a great start to the continued work we know needs to be done in our region.”
Seniors Vaccinated at Speedway on February 2 Reminded to Get Follow-up Dose Next Week
Senior residents who received an initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccination at the County’s mass vaccination event at the Auto Club Speedway on February 2 are reminded that they are due to receive their follow-up shots next week.
This second dose-only mass vaccination event is scheduled for next Tuesday, March 2. Only residents who got their shot at the first event were able to schedule appointments for this second shot. Next week’s follow-up shots will be provided at the same location: the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. The process will largely repeat the initial event.
The County has taken steps to prevent long waits on Cherry Avenue, including adding more lanes and parking space inside the speedway property. Returning residents are asked to not arrive more than 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment.
“We had a very successful event last month, delivering vaccines to well over 3,000 people in a single day,” said Chairman Hagman. “We gained valuable experience at our first large-scale event, and we are confident next week’s event will run even more smoothly.”
Like the first time, people who get their second shot will be asked to wait 15 minutes to ensure there is no serious reaction from the second dose. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. For more advice on possible side effects, see this page on the CDC COVID-19 website.
County Public Health Director Corwin Porter was one of the panelists sharing information on COVID-19 and the vaccine effort on the town hall hosted by Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.
‘Community Conversation on COVID-19’ Livestream and Materials Available Online
Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. held a virtual “Community Conversation on COVID-19” yesterday to provide county residents with an update on the current state of COVID-19 and vaccination efforts underway. The livestream and accompanying materials are now available online.
Anyone can view the entire livestream presentation here on the County’s Facebook page, or here on YouTube. In addition, the presentation itself and other resources (in English and Spanish) can be found at www.sbcovid19.com and clicking on the COVID Conversation Town Hall link.
Moderated by Supervisor Baca, the conversation included panelists Dr. Sharon Wang, an infectious disease specialist from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC), County Public Health Director Corwin Porter, and County Assistant Executive Officer Diana Alexander. The panelists provided the latest county data, resources available for scheduling a vaccine appointment, and the facts about the vaccines so people can make informed decisions when it is their turn to be vaccinated.
A key highlight of the town hall was the participation of community advocates that represent a diverse group of organizations serving our Latino, Black, seniors and underserved communities. They asked the panelists questions that are most relevant and important among their respective constituents. A professional translator shared all the evening’s information in Spanish.
Update on Inmates and Employees Testing Positive for COVID
A total of 972 County jail inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. Many of the inmates are only experiencing minor symptoms of the virus. The infected inmates are in isolation, being monitored around the clock, and are being provided with medical treatment. A total of 969 inmates have recovered from the illness.
A total of 1,005 department employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and are self-isolating at home; 993 employees have recovered from the virus. Other employees are expected to return to work in the next few weeks. It is unknown when or where the employees were infected with the virus. The department continues to encourage all department members to heed the warnings of health officials.
Latest Stats
285,334 Confirmed Cases (up 0.1% from the previous day)
2,673 Deaths (up 0.8% from the previous day)
2,441,718 Tests (up 0.3% from the previous day)
For more statistics from the COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, click the desktop or mobile tab on the County’s sbcovid19.com website.
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